If ever there was a wood-shell snare that truly does it all, it’s the Merlin.

The Merlin’s 20-ply shell consists of alternating vertical and horizontal veneers of two sonically superior hardwoods – maple for focused warmth, and birch for direct brightness. The shell is then expertly finished with a black tulip outer veneer inlaid with a tasty double pinstripe of maple.

The Merlin’s response spans the sonic spectrum from warm and resonant, to focused cutting projection and everything in between. Simply tune it into your comfort zone, or higher for even more crispness and cut, or down for a funkier, drier sound. The response accuracy of this super-dynamic design is stunningly good, and the critics agree with the Merlin picking up a Music Industry Association award and a 5-star review in Rhythm magazine.

In September 2015 award-winning master drum-maker Keith Keough, whose reputation stands industry-wide as one of the most exciting drum-makers in the world, teamed up with: Ian Matthews, five-time no.1 album drummer with Kasabian; Al Murray, the award-winning comedian and well-known drumming obsessive, Pete Salisbury from the renowned Verve fame, Stu Warmington, top-level military marching drummer and Alan Kitching, product designer for many well-known global brands, to form the British Drum Co, one of the most exciting drum companies in the world.
Keith is one of the leading drum designers in the world today, and has been crafting his art for over two decades. Starting with woodwork at an early age with his Father Alan Keough before moving on to an apprenticeship as a carpenter.
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Working briefly as a drum-tech at Moolah Rouge Studios in Stockport in 2003, Keith first met the drummer from the Verve, Pete Salisbury. Pete helped and inspired Keith to start his own brand of drums and in 2004 Keith opened KD Drums. Throughout the years at KD Drums, Keith gained a formidable reputation as a leading custom drum-builder which caught the eye of Premier Percussion, and in 2011 Keith sold KD Drums to Premier joining them as their Head of Manufacture and Design. During Keith's 4 years at Premier he designed the entire British Collection range which included the award-winning Modern Classic drums as well as the One Series and the elusive BEAST snare drum.